Just the Rain
by shadowblade-tara
Summary: Are you crying, miko? She looked up at him, her eyes remarkably clear. No, she said softly, it's just the rain.
1. My Immortal

Disclaimer: Don't own. Don't sue.

AN: Yeah, I know I should be updating my other two. This will be a real quick chapter, and then I'll get right on that. I've hit somewhat of a block with them (as in – I don't feel like writing) so I'm gonna force myself to put up another chapter on Even Me. This is a completely new story. Yes, the two main characters are Sesshoumaru and Kagome. No, this is not a romance. Don't ask for one.

**My Immortal**

She was so tired.

The battle was finally over, but it came at too high a price. Out of all of them, the only ones left standing were her, Inuyasha and Kikyou. Not even Kouga had survived Naraku's wrath.

But it was over; Naraku was dead – his incarnations were dead. She should have been elated. All she could feel was exhaustion and loneliness. She was a social creature, and the loss of her friends – the ones she had depended on for so long – tore her heart in two. He was also hurting; they were his friends as well, but he went to Kikyou for comfort.

That hurt nearly as bad, knowing that she was so easily replaced now that the Shikon no Tama had been completed. She knew she should go home and never come back, but he held her here as surely as if he had leashed her. She was loyal – to a fault.

One day she would break free of him.

A familiar tingling sensation started at the base of her neck, alerting her to the presence of a youkai. In a flash, she spun around, drawing and aiming an arrow with perfect ease. She could hardly see in the torrential downpour, but she didn't need to in order to hit the youkai.

"Who are you?" she called out. "Show yourself!"

Suddenly he was there, materializing from the rain like an angel of darkness. She didn't lower her weapon; he had tried to kill her far too many times in the past for her to trust him. He didn't show any emotion when he finally spoke.

"I have no desire to harm you for now, miko."

"At least you're honest about it." she muttered, and she lowered the bow. "Why are you here?" Her voice was nearly as cold as his.

"When a normally well-protected miko is found so far from her hanyou in the middle of a thunderstorm, it piques this Sesshoumaru's curiosity." His gold eyes bored into hers. The intensity of his stare should have made her squirm, but it didn't. There was no room in her for fear.

"He's not my hanyou." she said quietly. She closed her eyes and tilted her head up, letting the rain cascade down her face. "I – I'm trying to free myself from him."

A silence descended between them, filled only by the pouring rain. Kagome was the one to break it, feeling the need to put a reason behind her statement. "They're gone. He went to her, not me. I have no reason to stay, but I can't leave. I need to leave."

While on of his questions had been answered, the miko's reasoning raised a whole new set of them. He bit them back, not wanting to seem like he cared. "How long will you remain out here?"

Kagome shrugged. 'However long it takes."

It wasn't much of an answer, but Sesshoumaru accepted it. She would go back when she was ready to, and not before.

She was an enigma to him, unfamiliar, yet enticing. There was on emotion he had never been able to suppress, and that was his curiosity. He had always been an inquisitive individual, even though he learned early on not to let it show. Now this girl – his brother's miko, no less – had captured his interest, and he was unsure as to how to get the information he wanted.

They stood in silence until the rain slowed to a drizzle. Kagome shivered in the cool night air. She was thoroughly soaked to the bone, but she honestly didn't care. The biting cold matched how cold she felt.

"I should go back." she whispered, reluctant to break the silence. "I need to dry off. Good-bye, Sesshoumaru." She turned and headed back to the village, leaving the taiyoukai standing alone under the trees. He needed to get back to Rin; kami knew Jaken couldn't take care of the girl for longer than five minutes, but he waited until his senses told him Kagome had gotten out of the woods before turning to leave.

_Until we meet again, little miko._

--------/

AN: Whaddya think? This is just the first chapter – they're all gonna be pretty short, but there's gonna be a lot of them. Review please!


	2. Haunted

AN: here it is, chappie two! Read and Review please!

**Haunted**

"Inuyasha, stop!" Kikyou cried, trying to pull the hanyou off the young miko before he killed her. Kagome wasn't afraid, this wasn't the first time and she knew he would not lose control.

She didn't say a word. That only made the beating worse.

Finally he tired of the game and threw her to the ground. "Don't even think about leaving camp again." he snarled. "You stay with me." He turned went back to Kikyou's hut. Old Kaede had died shortly before Naraku's defeat. Now Kikyou was village miko, even though her powers were weakened.

"I'm so sorry!" Kikyou knelt down next to Kagome, who was holding her sides in pain. "I couldn't stop him, I couldn't-"

"Enough." Kagome slowly forced herself to her feet, her voice harsh with pain. "This isn't your fault. It's his. He's trying to keep things the way they were before." She laughed bitterly. "Like that's ever gonna happen." She turned to walk away.

"Wait! Even after what he did, you're still going to leave camp?" Kikyou sounded incredulous.

Kagome's smile was as bitter as her laugh. "I need to get away before I purify him." she said simply. "If he tries to hurt you for letting me go, tell him I'll purify him when I get back. I don't want you to get hurt for my sake." Kikyou nodded just as Kagome disappeared into the woods.

----------/

Despite the downpour, Sesshoumaru knew he was heading in the right direction. He had smelled the miko's sweat and blood, and curiosity had gotten the better of him once again. Now he was standing in front of the god-tree, staring at the broken woman before him and feeling the stirring s of an unfamiliar emotion.

Concern? He brushed it aside.

"Are you crying, miko?"

She looked up at him, her eyes remarkably clear. "No," she said softly, "it's just the rain." She didn't look away and neither did he. They were caught in each other's gaze, trying to find something inside the other that they couldn't even name. To her surprise, Sesshoumaru looked away first. He let his eyes drift to the bruises and blood, the rain washing away the latter to reveal deep gashes down her arms and across her face. His golden eyes hardened at the sight.

"did he do this to you?" His voice was cold, but Kagome could see the emotion in his eyes, barely in control: anger.

"Hai." She was uncertain. "Are you angry at me? I let him do this." Se closed her eyes and bowed her head, letting her hair trail in the puddle she was kneeling in. A clawed hand cupped her chin, gently raising her head so she would look at him. It was clear he was uncomfortable; the only person he had ever had to comfort before was Rin, but this miko reminded him too much of his ward for him to do anything else.

"Iie, this Sesshoumaru is not angry with you." he said quietly. HE did not elaborate, and she did not ask him to. That was all that needed to be said. She smiled then – a small one, but he could see the hope glittering in her eyes.

"I think my chains are breaking."


	3. Going Under

AN: well, here's the next chapter for your amusement. I wasn't originally going to have a complicated storyline, but some of the reviews made me question a few things, and now I actually know where this is going. So never fear, those of you wondering what the heck has gotten into Inu, all will be explained in time!

**Going Under**

Inuyasha found her sitting alone by the god-tree, letting the warm sun dry her off. He was surprised to note that the claw marks he left on her arms had been bandaged; she hadn't taken her bag when she left. "I thought I told you to stay at camp." His expression was angry, but the words held no real venom. Kagome turned to look at him, seeing his eyes take on a pinkish tinge. She sighed and turned away.

"Did you hurt Kikyou?"

The hanyou shook his head. "Iie, why would I do that?" he demanded. "I could never harm Kikyou."

Kagome nodded, satisfied. "I once thought the same about me." she pointed out dryly. "If you ever do harm her, I'll purify you to ashes." _If she's smart, she'll leave before that happens. Before she's bound to you like I am._

Inuyasha stiffened. "There's no need for threats." he assured her. "I won't hurt Kikyou – and I won't hurt you again. I love you, Kagome, I just don't want anything to happen to you and I – I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

The first of the chains had broken. She knew that the instant she realized she did not believe him. Still, he had far too much power over her, enough to make her stand up and follow him back to camp.

At the edge of the clearing she turned and looked behind her. _He_ saw her look away from his brother, searching for him, he r eyes shining with frustration and anger as she was led away. They both knew his brother's words were lies, but he knew she was not yet strong enough to break free of Inuyasha.

He wondered how long she would survive like this.

---------/

Kikyou and Kagome sat side by side outside the hut, staring up at the night sky. "Are you all right, Kagome?" Kikyou asked. "He hurt you pretty badly."

Kagome shrugged, her face blank. "I don't know." she admitted. "I'm drowning in him, and I can't seem to surface. It's probably gonna kill me one day." She looked at Kikyou, concern in her eyes. "You should leave, before he drowns you too." Before Kikyou could speak, a cold voice stopped her.

"You speak as though you were already dead."

Kagome smiled at that. "But I'm not," she said thoughtfully, "am I? Still, I don't know if I will survive this parting."

Sesshoumaru knelt down in front of her, his gold eyes locking with hers. "What holds you here?"

"What do you care?" Her voice was filled with pain; she was far too much like Rin when the child first started following him, and it was all he could do not to flinch. "I'm just a lowly ningen, after all."

There was a brief silence. "This Sesshoumaru is merely curious." he said blandly. Kagome laughed softly.

"Maybe that is true." she conceded. She hesitated, then admitted, "I'm too loyal for my own dang good. I promised I wouldn't leave him." Her tone was bitter, regretful.

"It's not only the hanyou." he observed. "Do you feel a debt to miko-sama as well?"

Kagome's eyes flashed. "I won't let him hurt her."

"Do you have a problem with using people's names or something?" Kikyou interrupted. She cringed immediately, expecting the cold taiyoukai to kill her, but he merely shrugged.

"I do not know your names." he admitted. Kagome smiled gently, the motion feeling foreign on a face so used to pain and loneliness.

"I'm Kagome." she said. "This is Kikyou, my sister."

Sesshoumaru frowned in confusion. He knew Kikyou was not Kagome's siter, even though the woman seemed pleased at the title. In fact, he was sure that Kikyou was Kagome's incarnation – but then again, hadn't Kikyou once walked among the dead? What had changed?

He stood up, mentally shaking his head in frustration. There were too many questions. "I need to go." he said tonelessly. "I do not like to leave Rin under Jaken's care for long." Kagome nodded, an odd look in her eyes.

"Will I see you again?"

He hesitated only a moment. "Hai." he said, and walked off. Kikyou stared at his retreating back with a frown.

"He's lucky Inuyasha isn't' here."

Kagome just chuckled.


	4. Snow White Queen

AN: Finally, here's the next chapter! Tomorrow I should be able to add on to Even Me. It'll be a while before I can put anything up on Night Terrors, because I want to get the next chapter right. It'll be well worth the wait though! Enough of my babbling – on with the story!!!!

**Snow White Queen**

It was one heck of a battle. Inuyasha arrived just in time to see the last three youkai attack Kagome. She didn't have her bow, but the katana she was using clearly made up for it. One youkai leapt towards her, razor-sharp claws extended for the kill. Kagome took its arm in one swing, and then, reversing the direction of the blade so quickly Inuyasha almost didn't see it, she took its head.

The other two charged, one heading for Kagome and the other for Kikyou who had just exited her hut. Even though Kikyou's powers were greatly diminished, she was still able to shoot a purifying arrow at the youkai charging her and turn it to ashes. Kagome charged her blade with her own purifying energy and ran her youkai through. Its ashes fell to the ground around the blade.

Inuyasha snorted, clearly not impressed. If they had attacked Kagome all at once, they would have taken her down. A part of his mind just could not believe that Kagome – his Kagome – was capable of such violence.

"Kagome," he said quietly, "care to tell me why ten youkai just attacked the village?"

"Oh, they didn't attack the village." Kagome said carelessly. "I called them to me." At Inuyasha's enraged look, she added, "What? You've kept me in here for a full week and not let me leave; I'm getting bored." There was an odd glint in her eyes, unmistakable bloodlust. _Kami, she was enjoying this!_

He grabbed her by the shoulders, standing dangerously close to her. He could sense her growing discomfort, but he ignored it. "Listen to me, wench, you don't fight. That's the way it's always been, that's the way it will stay." He leaned in close and whispered, "You are mine, Kagome."

She shuddered in horror, understanding full well what he meant. She opened her mouth to protest, and Inuyasha silenced her with a kiss. His tongue entered her mouth, and she bit down hard.

He shoved her to the ground, spitting blood from his mouth. "What was that for, wench?" he demanded.

Kagome stood up and brushed herself off, feeling the second chain snap. _Once I would have thanked the kami that he kissed me. Now I push him away. _"I am not your property, Inuyasha." she said coldly. "You're no better than Kouga." It hurt to talk about Kouga; even though he had been a pain in the neck, he was still her friend, and now he was gone. She shouldered her bow and quiver and walked away.

Inuyasha growled. "Where are you going?"

"Away." she called back. "Don't wait up." With that she disappeared into the woods.

----------/

AN: Wow, that was short. Sorry about that, but it was necessary. I told you these chapters would be short. Either way, don't worry about some of the discrepancies – I'll explain everything in later chapters. Review, please!


	5. Bring Me to Life

AN: Yay! new chappie! probably the last one for a while, cuz I need to figure out what the heck I'm gonna do from here. Suggestions are appreciated!!

**Bring Me to Life**

It had been ten days since she had last seen him, but she didn't try to find him. He always seemed to come to her; she was afraid of what would happen if she broke their ritual. Besides, she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself.

She need the time to think.

It was raining once again. She sat int eh middle of the river on a large flat rock, keeping her miko senses open to youkai even as her mind remained on Inuyasha and his erratic behavior. It seemed as if something was wrong, but in her own grief-stricken mind she could not think of what it could be.

While his awful treatment of her – considering her his _property,_ of all things – had driven her away, she knew it wouldn't last. She would go back, she knew, if she couldn't find something to keep her away. Pure habit would bring her back to the hanyou if nothing else did. She was loyal to a fault, and right now she could not think of anywhere else to go. She needed the company, even if it was only the knowledge that someone was there with her. She hated being alone, even if now it was the only thing keeping her sanity.

A familiar tingle was felt at the base of her neck, and she smiled despite herself. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were stalking me."

To her surprise, she heard him chuckle. "I could say the same of you." Sesshoumaru said quietly. "We seem to have a knack for meeting in the rain." He paused for a moment, trying to sort through his onslaught of emotions. It wasn't every day he met someone who could make him feel; until now, Rin had been the only one. What was it about this girl that made even him want to protect her?

He shook the thought from his mind and focused on the reason he had sought the miko out. "Rin is ill." he said simply.

She looked at him then, concern shining in her eyes. "Is it bad?"

"I do not know. This Sesshoumaru has had no dealings with human illnesses."

Kagome nodded and waded back across the river. The water was icy cold and she shivered despite herself. Sesshoumaru frowned slightly, wondering why she was out here anyway, why she wasn't in some sort of shelter. Then again, the girl seemed to have no problems with getting wet.

"I'll help you." she said, knowing that was what he wanted even though he wouldn't say it. "I'm sued to taking care of Souta when he gets sick."

Sesshoumaru nodded and beckoned her to follow him. He was mildly surprised at her willingness to come, but he decided not to question it. He needed her knowledge if he wanted to help Rin, and nothing else mattered at this point.

She followed quietly, keeping on step behind him as he led the way. Her deference to him was disconcerting; this was the woman who had defied him time and time again, standing broken behind him. What had happened that had damaged her so?

They made ti to the cave where Sesshoumaru's small group was sheltered. Rin lay in the center, a thin blanket wrapped around her small form. She was whimpering in pain, and the taiyoukai visibly flinched at the sound. He looked up at Kagome, who was already kneeling beside Rin. She silently checked the girl over as Jaken mad ehi sway to Sesshoumaru.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," the toad youkai said hesitantly, "do you really believe the miko will be able to help Rin?"

The taiyoukai nodded. "Hai, Jaken." he said quietly. _If she can't, I don't know what I'll do. Rin is the only thing that has ever mattered to me._

Kagome looked up at him. "I think she has the flu." she said. "Unless you want to deal with the hanyou to get my bag back, I need to take her to my home. I can help her recover better there."

Sesshoumaru nodded thoughtfully. He had no desire to bring his half-brother's wrath on the fragile miko, not when his ward's health was at stake. "Where is your home?"

"Past the well." Kagome replied. "Or more accurately, through the well. I'm from the future, so I have better medicine there." Sesshoumaru nodded once again; it made sense after all.

"We will leave when the rain lets up." he decided. "But you must tell me more of your home."

Kagome was surprised by the sudden interest. "Are you coming with us?"

"Hai."

"Ano, Sesshoumaru, there si a huge difference between my time and this one."

"Then you must tell me what I need to know." He looked to Rin, determination hardening his eyes. "I will not leave Rin's side until she is well."

------/

AN: Huh. It's longer than I thought. Still, sorry if Sess is out of character, but I've always figured that he does have a soft spot in his heart for Rin. Review please!!


	6. All That I'm Living For

AN: Sorry I'm so long in updating this – I hate school. This week was FCAT for us, so I'm pretty well bored. Already passed the stupid thing last year and I don't have to take it again but I still have to show up and pretend I care. Go fig. Anyways, for the sake of my sanity and my bad case of writers block let us assume that because Kagome wanted Sesshoumaru and Rin to come through the well they could. Sorry to whomever of you wanted to actually see that, but it is not important to the story.

**All That I'm Living For**

Sesshoumaru sprang from the well, cradling a sleeping Rin in the crook of his arm. Kagome had warned him about the drastic changes, but she had failed to mention all the new scents and sounds. Not that he had expected her to think of everything; after all, she was only human. She probably didn't even notice the scents.

She gracefully climbed from the well and blanched. "I'd forgotten how bad it smells here." she muttered. "Well, my family is gone for the week and Inuyasha can't come through the well, so we'll have some semblance of privacy." She motioned for him to follow her and led the way out of the well house to a larger, more sturdy building. It wasn't as big as Sesshoumaru's castle, but certainly bigger than any other human building he'd seen. She guided him through the sliding glass doors, through the living room, up the stairs and into her room. He smirked when he saw the sign on her door – "Enter and Die". (AN/ couldn't resist that )

He watched silently as Kagome lay Rin on her bed and began caring for the child. She explained everything she did to the taiyoukai; she was very well aware of how protective he was of the girl and she didn't want him to think she was poisoning little Rin. Sesshoumaru was grateful for her explanations even if he didn't show it. He would have been reduced to asking questions about something he was only mildly curious about.

"That should do it for now." Kagome said finally. "I'll have to keep an eye on her so I'll know when she needs more medicine, but that shouldn't take any less than six hours." She settled herself on the floor next to the bed and motioned for Sesshoumaru to do the same. He sat opposite her against the wall. Now he could finally get some of his questions answered.

"Where is your family?" he asked in his usual monotone.

"Well, my brother has some sort of skateboarding camp, and my mother and grandfather are at some conventions in Kyoto." she explained. It suddenly occurred to Sesshoumaru that her voice was unnaturally quiet, that she had not raised her voice to him once since he had first encountered her that night in the rain. She was but a shadow of her former self.

He mentally shook the stray thoughts away. "What of your father?"

Kagome shook her head. "Don't got one." she said bluntly. "Souta's only my half-brother, and his dad died in a car accident about five years back, but I don't know what happened to mine."

Sesshoumaru nodded. This was something he could understand, for his father was lost to him even before he had sacrificed himself for his human mate and their hanyou child. Did she remember anything of her father? Did she ever even know him?

Once again he forced himself to shake the stray thoughts away. He was interested in what had become of the woman who had once dared attack him, not in anything else. And yet . . .

"Why can Inuyasha not come through the well?"

Kagome shrugged. "I don't know. The subjugation spell has stopped working as well." She sounded pained, and suddenly she turned her head away, refusing to look him in the eye. "I don't want to talk about it."

Sesshoumaru didn't push the subject. He would get his answers soon enough. "What happened to the rest of your group?" he asked quietly.

The girl visibly stiffened. "I told you they're gone." she snapped. "And anyways, what do you care? You don't care about anything but Rin." She wasn't angry, but rather stating fact as she saw it. She turned and lay down on her trundle bed and turned out the lights, plunging the room into darkness. "Good night, Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru allowed himself to fall into a light sleep. He didn't notice when Kagome continued staring at him, nor did he hear her when her broken voice whispered, "You're all that I'm living for. Please don't leave me."

---------/

AN: How was that? I know it's pretty short, I'll have to work on making the next chapter longer, but hopefully that'll do ya. If I ever get around to editing this thing I'll put in Kagome bringing Sesshoumaru and Rin through the well. Review, please!!!!


	7. Lose Control

AN: Hey, the fastest I've ever gotten an update on this thing! I'll update Night Terrors sometime this weekend hopefully, the next chapter is important and I don't want to screw it up. As for Even Me . . . I don't know when. Either way, enjoy!!

**Lose Control**

Rin's whimpering woke both of them late at night. Kagome quickly gave the girl more pills and tried to soothe her back to sleep. Rin flinched away from the touch. "Sesshoumaru-sama," she called out weakly.

"I am here, Rin." came the steady reply. "Let Kagome help you now." Rin nodded and let Kagome gently rub her back. Her eyes closed, but she was reluctant to fall asleep.

"Will Sesshoumaru-sama be here when Rin wakes?"

The question caught the taiyoukai off-guard. For a moment, his mask slipped and Kagome could see his surprise. "Hai, Rin." he said finally. "I will be here."

The little girl smiled sleepily, and her breathing soon grew soft and steady. Kagome smiled to herself. "Her fever broke. She'll be fine in a few days." She lay back down on her trundle bed and studied Sesshoumaru intently. "She must be really special to you." she commented lightly.

"Hai."

"How did you meet her?"

For a moment it seemed like he was going to ignore her, but he decided against it. After all, she had been rather forthcoming with his questions. His eyes were shadowed from her sight when he responded. "She helped me in my time of need. Honor would not let me abandon her, and now – it seems that she has grown on me."

Kagome chuckled quietly. "Children will do that to you." She looked as if she wanted to say more, but pain flashed across her face and she turned away. The salty scent of her tears reached his nose, and he found he could hardly keep his distance from her.

He held himself still until she fell back asleep.

--------/

He was awakened once again by the strong scent of tears and pain, but this time it was not Rin. He opened his eyes and saw Kagome sitting on the bed, her fists clenched and her teeth clamped tights against the low keening sound threatening to erupt.

"Kagome."

His gentle voice was enough to break her fragile self-control. She flung herself against him, clinging to his haori like it was her last connection to her sanity. Her tears dampened the material, but he could tell she was holding back.

Her reaction to his presence didn't surprise him nearly as much as his instinctive response to her pain. He reached out and pulled her closer, letting her rest against him. "Sometimes it's best if you lose control." he whispered in her ear. "Otherwise you will never heal."

Kagome shook her head, her body trembling violently. It seemed as if she would simply shake herself to pieces. "They died." she whimpered. "In the final battle – Naraku killed them. All of them. Only we survived." Her strained sobs intensified. "He chose her, he was so broken, I had to stay strong – I failed him."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as he finally understood her pain. None of her friends had survived Naraku's final blow, and she had not even been allowed time to grieve. _Inuyasha, what have you done? Did you not even think to allow her time to heal?_

"Kagome, listen to me." She looked up at him reluctantly. "You did not fail him. If anything, he failed you."

Her reaction was instantaneous. "Iie, he never failed me." she protested. "He's been trying to protect me. I just don't know why he changed so drastically."

She seemed much calmer now, though it was clear she was just teetering on the edge of control. He adjusted his hold on her so she was cradled in his single arm, all the while wondering why he hadn't pushed her away. "I suspect Inuyasha is more broken than he will allow himself to admit." he observed. "He was trying to stay strong for you as you were trying to stay strong for him."

Kagome nodded thoughtfully. Her eyes were half-closed, and Sesshoumaru couldn't help but smile at her. "Rest now, kouyuu." he said softly. "You will need the rest."

She smiled softly. "G'night, Sess." Her breathing evened out, and he knew she was asleep.

He leaned back against the wall, confusion overcoming him. What on earth had possessed him to call her his friend? And yet, it was true. She was his friend, a feat no one had been able to accomplish since his father had died.

A smile touched his lips, and he closed his eyes. _Friend._ He rather liked the sound of that.

-------/

AN: Like it? I hope I used the right Japanese word for that; my translator doesn't give me context clues. Review, please!!!


	8. Lithium

AN: Well, here's my next chapter. I was gonna make it a songfic, but I decided against it. More work on my part. Well, R&R please!!

**Lithium**

The bright sunlight of morning brought Sesshoumaru to his senses. He could tell Rin was still asleep, could still feel Kagome's warm body nestled comfortably in his lap. Her tears had dried long ago, but the taiyoukai could still smell the salty residue of his kouyuu's distress.

He didn't dare move; he wouldn't wake her until she was ready. His mind finally cleared enough o permit coherent thoughts, and he looked down the study the girl. She really was quite attractive for a human; Sesshoumaru had to wonder why Inuyasha chose the undead miko over her.

"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome opened her eyes and peered blearily up at him. "Kami, I was afraid it was all a dream."

The taiyoukai could not help the small smile that touched his lips. "No dream, kouyuu." he said softly. "I am here." She sighed and relaxed again.

"Good." she mumbled. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand and was surprised when it came away wet. "I didn't know I could still cry."

Sesshoumaru adjusted his grip on her, forcing her to face him. She quickly grasped his shoulders to steady herself. "Kagome, pain like that doesn't go away overnight." His voice was as cold as ever, but this time she could see past that. She knew he cared. "It will take time for you to heal." Kagome nodded.

Silence descended between the two, but there was no discomfort with it. They sat as companions, as equals, and no one else mattered.

Well, almost no one. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin's voice brought them back to reality. "Where are we?" The child sat up in the bed, peering around in confusion. Then she saw Kagome and grinned. "Kagome-onee-san! Are we at your home?"

Kagome chuckled. "Sure are, Rin-chan." she said, and it pleased the taiyoukai to hear the cheerful tone in her voice once more. "Come on, if you're ready to walk, I'll get you some food." Rin nodded excitedly and Kgaome stood to lead the way. He almost missed her warmth, and try as he might he could not shake the feeling. He quickly stood as well, determined to follow and learn more about her era.

The miko picked Rin up and carried on her hip, taking the small group back down the stairs and into the kitchen. Rin's eyes went wide as she studied everything in the strange room. "Onee-san, what is this stuff?"

Sesshoumaru paid close attention as Kagome explained everything from the sink to the stove. He had every intention of coming back to this time and investigating further. Kagome handed Rin a sandwich and turned to him. "Do you want anything, Sesshoumaru?"

He shook his head. "Iie, I do not eat human food."

"Sesshoumaru-sama, will onee-san come with us when we go back home?"

The question was completely innocent, and it threw the two adults completely off-kilter. Kagome seemed mildly surprised by the question, but he did not miss the strange glimmer in her eyes. Was it hope?

"If she wants to."

The miko's face lit into a soft smile, and he knew – Inuyasha would not be getting the miko back. She was his first friend, and that was too precious for him to allow his baka half-brother to destroy her.

-------/

AN: Ok, I wasn't intentionally going to stop there, but it seemed like a good spot. sorry for another short chapter, but I did warn you. So, whaddya think?


	9. Sweet Sacrifice

AN: Here's the wonderful next chapter. Yeah, I think it's cool, but hey, that's just me. Either way, review when you finish reading, otherwise I won't know if it's good. (smirks)

**Sweet Sacrifice**

Kagome brought them back through the well three days later, determined to get back to the feudal era before her family got home. She didn't want to stay there; her mom knew what had happened, and she didn't want to face her mother's pity and concern. It was just too much, and it didn't help anyway.

Sesshoumaru appeared in the well beside her, studying her intently. He picked up Rin and placed her on his shoulder. "Hold tight, Rin." he said quietly. Rin nodded and dug her fingers into the pelt he wore on his shoulder, her legs clamped around his arm for extra support. Without warning, he wrapped his arm around Kagome's waist.

Rin giggled. "Hold tight, Kagome-onee-san!" she said in a sing-song voice. Kagome nodded and put her arm around Sesshoumaru's waist, her other hand holding tight to a small bag she brought with her.

Satisfied that his small pack was secure, the taiyoukai sprang from the well, landing gracefully a few feet away. Kagome shrieked in surprise and stumbled when they landed. Automatically, he reached out to hold her steady. Rin giggled and dropped effortlessly from her perch on her lord's shoulder. "Isn't it fun, onee-san?"

"Oh, yes." Kagome muttered a bit breathlessly. "Just absolute fun." She glared at Sesshoumaru, but her eyes were sparkling. "Next time warn me before we go airborne please?" she asked sweetly. "Otherwise I might accidentally purify you."

He raised one eyebrow. "Do you really think you possess the strength to purify this Sesshoumaru?" His voice was calm, but for some reason it lacked its usual coldness, and she knew he was teasing her as she teased him. She smirked.

"Don't think I can't." she said, gently pulling her arm from his grasp. "I can do a lot of things that you don't even know about." Sesshoumaru didn't exactly smile, but his eyes softened as they often did around Rin. It was good to see the miko more like her old self.

"Kagome!"

The miko froze, all traces of her joy before gone. "What do you want, Inuyasha?" she asked, turning around to face the hanyou. She quickly skimmed the forest around him and her gaze snapped back to him, her eyes narrowed. "Where's Kikyou?"

"She's back at the village." Inuyasha replied, his eyes clouded with confusion. "What are you doing with him?!"

"Rin was sick." she replied. "I needed to take care of her."

"Keh! Come on, we need to get back. What were you thinking, running off like that? You had Kikyou worried sick about you!" The hanyou's scowl was all too familiar to Kagome; it was the same look he gave her every time she did something stupid, but he never could hold a grudge against her for long, especially not if she had been hurt by her own stupidity.

"The miko will not return with you now."

Inuyasha spun on his half-brother, fury burning in his eyes. "And who are you to tell her what to do? She's my jewel detector, she comes with me!!"

"Inuyasha, there is no longer a jewel to detect." The taiyoukai's voice was as cold as ever, but there was a determination in his eyes that Kagome had never seen before. He _would_ make his worthless half-brother see the light, if for nothing more than his kouyuu's peace of mind. She would want to know that he had healed. "Don't you understand? The battle is over; nothing will ever be the same."

For a moment, the hanyou's eyes bled red. He blinked, and they were back to their normal golden hue. "C'mon, Kagome." he growled. "We don't have to listen to this bull."

"Inuyasha-"

She didn't get any more out before he backhanded her across the face. Rin yelped in alarm and in an instant Sesshoumaru was between him and the miko, his clawed hand holding the boy by the throat.

"Do you not see?" he snarled. "This Sesshoumaru remembers a time when you would have gutted yourself for such an action." He tossed Inuyasha to the side as if he were a rag doll and turned to Kagome.

She was on her feet now, her fingers delicately probing at her stung cheek. Four lines of blood oozed from the wounded flesh, and she flinched as her touch grazed the marks. "He got me good again, didn't he?"

"Hai." the taiyoukai said softly. "Come. Let us go and get Jaken. Rin, follow close now."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama." the little girl replied.

With a smile, Kagome picked up Rin and braced her on her hip, carrying her as a mother would as the group left the clearing.

There was something different about this time, though, something Sesshoumaru noticed with growing satisfaction.

Kagome was standing at his side now.

--------/

AN: Well, there you have it. I tried making it longer, but it's barely three pages. Go fig.


	10. Missing

Disclaimer: Don't own.

AN: Hey! Another wonderful update from me! (yeah right) Sorry for the long wait, I went to Georgia for Spring Break and my grandma doesn't have a computer, much less internet access up there, so I had to write all my stuff down on notebook paper and then type it up! (ignores the world's smallest record player which reviewers have started) So here's the chapter!!

**Missing**

He found her at the entrance of the cave, her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms locked around her legs. He didn't say a word as he sat down next to her – despite his determination to keep her away from his half-brother, he wasn't entirely comfortable with the present arrangements. She didn't look at him as she spoke.

"He told me to be strong." Her voice was hardly a whisper, but he heard it. "After the final battle, he told me I had to be strong for – for what came next." A cold breeze threaded its way through the cave, heralding the coming winter, and she shivered in the thin kimono she wore.

Sesshoumaru wrapped his pelt around her slim body and pulled her close, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder. "I used the Shikon no Tama to give Kikyou her own soul, but it didn't work very well. Her powers are only a fraction of what they once were." By now he could smell her tears even though she refused to let them fall.

"Why won't you cry, Kagome?"

The young miko laughed harshly. "There's no sense in crying over someone who doesn't miss you." she pointed out bitterly. "Besides, I've already cried enough over him over the past few years." In a softer tone, she added, "I just hope Kikyou has better luck with hi m than I ever did."

The taiyoukai didn't know how to respond to that. He knew a little of Kagome's character, much of what he had seen in the miko he had seen reflected in his ward. Maybe that's what had drawn him to Kagome – her resemblance to the only human he had ever grown fond of.

Not even that logical explanation sat well in his rational mind. After the first time he had tried to kill her, in his father's grave, he had never had the desire to kill her again. Even when he was being manipulated by Naraku, he had never wanted to kill her. He had seen how fiercely Inuyasha would protect the young woman, and he had wanted to give the hanyou a reason to fight. He had not intended to harm her.

"I would miss you."

Kagome looked up at him, startled.. "You would?"

He had not meant to say the words aloud, but the look of quiet hope on her face made it impossible to take them back. "Hai. You are my kouyuu, a part of my pack. I would miss you if you left."

Suddenly, from the back of the cave where they had made camp, Rin began to cry. Sesshoumaru recognized the sound from her nightmares; they were back in full force again tonight. The sickness must have brought them back.

Reluctantly Sesshoumaru stood to tend to his pup. He knelt down beside her and began to rub her back to put her in a more restful sleep – or wake her up one, whichever came first.

"What do you want, Jaken?"

His voice was cold enough to freeze ice, and Jaken shivered. "Ano, Sesshoumaru-sama, do you think it is wise to lead the girl on in such a manner?"

"This Sesshoumaru is not 'leading her on'." he bit out, the slightest edge of anger bleeding in to his voice. "This Sesshoumaru meant every word this Sesshoumaru said."

_I figured as much,_ Jaken thought silently. He looked to the miko, who was now watching the rain with a warm smile on her face, and sighed. _What are you going to do, my lord, when she is forced to return to save Inuyasha? With you let her go, or will you fight to keep her?_

------------/

AN: I know, not much of a chapter, but the plot will get rolling again in the next chappie, promise!!

**POLL!!!!!** One of my reviewers told me that "tomodachi" meant friend, not "kouyuu". This will be the only thing in this story you get a choice on, so pick carefully! I know both terms actually mean "friend", though which one is grammatically accurate eludes me. So, which do you prefer? Majority vote wins!!


	11. Cloud Nine

AN: Sorry for the long wait. My mind has been on other things lately. Either way, I had some spare time today, so for your amusement is the next chapter to this story. Here you go!

**Cloud Nine**

Inuyasha stormed back to the camp, fury blazing in his eyes. Kikyou noticed with interest that Kagome was not with him. "What happened?" she asked quietly.

"That wench went with Sesshoumaru!" he snarled. "She turned her back on me!" Suddenly he collapsed to his knees, trembling visibly. Kikyou hurried and kneeled beside him.

"Inuyasha!" She grabbed his shoulder and shook him. "Please, tell me what is wrong!"

He looked at her then, and she gasped. His eyes were completely clear for the first time in months. Fear and anger shone from their depths.

"Something . . . is wrong." he gasped. "Kikyou . . . I hurt . . . her. Kagome. I swore . . . to protect her." His arms were shaking with the effort of holding himself up. "Dear kami . . . he was right. It . . . isn't over . . . yet."

He collapsed on the ground, leaving Kikyou staring at him in a horrified wonder as the full meaning of his tortured words sank in.

-----------

In the three weeks that passed Kagome became more and more a part of Sesshoumaru's small pack. Even Jaken seemed to take a liking to her, even if he did still growl about wayward humans from time to time. She was still Rin's onee-san; if anything, close proximity to the girl had only cemented that bond.

As for Sesshoumaru, he found that he could not regret his decision to take her in. He enjoyed her company, her ever increasing enthusiasm for their travels. Often he would sit beside her at night, talking about their pasts, what things were like before the arrival of Naraku.

"Don't you ever go home?" she said one night. Rin was sleeping in her lap as miko and taiyoukai sat back to back. The top of her head barely caome to his shoulders.

"I don't really have a home." he admitted. Despite his habitually bland voice, Kagome could tell he enjoyed these conversations. "Once, in my father's early years, the Western Lands had a cohesive government. Now, I go where the rumors of trouble take me. That's how all the lords rule."

"Huh." She tilted her head back thoughtfully. "I haven't seen my family in months, not since they died. I couldn't face them. They pitied me for what I lost."

He could hear the scorn in her voice. "You do not accept pity."

She snorted in disgust. "Iie. I don't need it and it does no good. I need them to help me move on, and they didn't. They let me wallow in it." Suddenly she sighed. "Not that I can really blame them. The only one who would really understand was Okaa-san, and she wasn't there."

Sesshoumaru hardly heard her last statement. That first part had his mind reeling in surprise. He hadn't even begun to suspect . . .

He tilted his head back so it was resting on hers. "Perhaps we are more alike than we thought."

She smiled and relaxed against him, her eyes closing on their own accord. "Perhaps." she murmured. Her breathing evened out as she fell asleep.

The taiyoukai allowed his lips to curve into a small smile as he reached around him and settled the miko and child more comfortably in his lap. Somehow, in some way, Kagome had definitely grown on him.

_Father, please keep them safe._

--------/

AN: oh, btw – kouyuu won the vote. by one vote. less work for me!! review, please!


	12. Like You

AN: Yeah, I'll go ahead and warn you – this chapter will suck. Really short, overt fluffiness, and basic all around suckyness. However, it's one of those sets-the-stage chapters, so I can't overlook it. Sorry beforehand.

**Like You**

She wasn't asleep. He knew this the instant he returned to the camp. She was lying on her back, staring up at the stars, Rin snuggled against her side. A small smile curled his lips. The child was out cold, but Kagome . . .

"What is wrong?" He sat beside her, turning to study the stars as she did. He sensed her shrug, but she wouldn't say a word. Sesshoumaru simply waited. He knew her well enough by now to know that something was bothering her, had been for the past three days, and she didn't want to tell him. If he waited long enough she would, at the very least, hint at the problem.

She took a deep, shuddering breath. "I need to go back." she said softly.

Now _that_ he hadn't been expecting. "Why?" he said sharply, his mask of indifference starting to slip. "Do you wish to leave?" He stopped himself before he could add more. _Do you wish to leave me? What have I done? _ He couldn't stop his line of thoughts, no matter how hard he told himself not to be concerned. She probably didn't mean what he thought she meant, but she was his first friend! How could he be sure?

She shifted her gaze to him, fear and warmth shining in her eyes. Slowly she shook her head. "Iie, I don't want to leave you." she murmured. Shifting a little, she sighed, the sound speaking volumes of her exhaustion. "I need to go. Just for a while. You were the only one who could help me heal. I need to help him."

"He has Kikyou."

"But I'm the only one who can help him make the first step." she protested. "Something's wrong with him, and only I can stop it."

"What makes you think that?" he demanded, keeping his voice low so as not to wake Rin. However, any pretense of disinterest was gone, and Kagome almost flinched at the harshness of his tone. "He has hurt you far too often. Leave him be."

"I can't. I'm not like you." she whispered. "I – I wish I was."

For a very long moment, neither said a word. Then, suddenly, Sesshoumaru let out a short, sharp laugh. "No you don't." he said blandly. "You could never not care. It would destroy you. It's not your nature." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I can't stop you, can I?"

She laughed a little at that. "No one can." she teased.

He smiled, but it quickly faded. "If you go back, he will hurt you again."

"I know."

"He may kill you."

She shook her head. "He won't. There's still too much of him left to do that." She reached with her free hand and grasped his sleeve, gently twisting the fabric between her fingers. "Besides," she continued sleepily, "you'll be there with me, won't you?"

He let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. "Hai." he said softly. "I will be there."

She smiled and closed her eyes, and Sesshoumaru watched her as she fell asleep. He could have left her then, slept by the tree in his usual sentry spot, but he was reluctant to move. He wanted to be close in case something happened.

_This protectiveness – is this what it's like to have a friend?_

He shook the thought away. Kagome was something much more than a friend by now. He would not be reacting this strongly if she wasn't.

It was a good thing that she was letting him come with her, help her in this battle. Sesshoumaru would not have let her go alone in either case. He would have followed her without her knowledge if she had asked him to stay behind. He had no doubt she could defend herself, but he doubted she would do it against the hanyou. Sesshoumaru would not allow Inuyasha to take this newfound addition to his pack away.

Which led him to his second doubt – would Kagome leave him once Inuyasha was on the mend?

He doubted it. She had said herself she did not wish to leave him. He smirked at the thought and wrapped his hand protectively around her wrist, wondering what would happen next. Soon she would have to face her demons – and so would he.

_Soon I will face you, Inuyasha._ he thought grimly. _You may not like my decision, but I defy you to take my imoto from me!_

/---/

AN: Like I said, horrible chapter, but I couldn't get it to sound right. Oh, and I'll tell you next chapter what imoto means. Thank you again Artemisgirl for the translations! Next chapter is a songfic chappie, so that will take a day or two to get out.


	13. Whisper

AN: Wow. Apparently a lot of people liked that last chapter. Cool! Here's the next one – a songfic chappie!

**Whisper**

They made their silent way through the woods, heading back to Inuyasha's forest. Kagome was shivering, and not just because of the cold morning mist. She had a good idea of what she would be facing, and even with Sesshoumaru there, she was afraid. She could very well be killed, and despite all her brave talk, it would destroy her if Inuyasha, the hanyou she had come to trust, was the one to make the attempt.

_**catch me as I fall  
say you're here and it's all over now **_

"Kagome."

His quiet voice made her pause. She looked up at him, surprised to see that his eyes were beginning to darken, to bleed red. Kagome quickly looked around, unable to find the source of his agitation. "Sesshoumaru? What's wrong?"

He was gritting his teeth, fighting the transformation begging to take over. Dimly he was aware of what had happened, but that knowledge was quickly shoved aside in his struggle to control himself. That voice in his mind – begging him to shed blood, to steal the life of the girl next to him – he couldn't listen to it. "Back away. Slowly."

_**speaking to the atmosphere  
no one's here and I fall into myself **_

Startled, Kagome did as she was instructed. Sesshoumaru growled approval, her lack of proximity making the call less strong. Slowly, he began to regain control of himself, sealing that voice from his mind. He was stronger than that, to fall for such a cowardly trick. No doubt one of Naraku's surviving minions had attempted it.

"I'm fine now. Let's hurry. This place has a curse on it."

Kagome nodded. She had been able to sense the spell as soon as they entered the forest, but she had no idea it had been directed at them. Now she knew who they were facing – and somehow now she was less afraid.

_**this truth drives me into madness**_

The mist was growing thicker, becoming unnatural. Kagome smiled to herself. "He obviously doesn't want us finding him, ne?"

Sesshoumaru gave her an odd look. "Who, Inuyasha? He's not strong enough to create something like this." he protested.

"No, not normally." Kagome agreed. "But then again, we've known this wasn't normally since the beginning." She took a step forward, past Sesshoumaru, and found her arm caught in a vise-like grip. Startled, she turned back to face him.

He was shaking his head, telling her without words what he wanted. She narrowed her eyes at him – she could take care of herself, after all – but let him take the lead. He had once called her a part of his pack. She knew he would be as protective of her as he was of Rin. It was still slightly annoying.

_**I know I can stop the pain if I will it all away**_

With the taiyoukai in the lead, they once again began their trek through the woods. It wasn't far to the village near the well, nor was it a difficult journey – Kagome had made it several times through the woods without incident – but this time was different. This time she could sense the danger, taste it on her tongue, as if the mist would bring the youkai that would destroy them.

A ripple passed through the mist, and then another. Kagome frowned slightly. She opened her mouth to say something about it –

Sesshoumaru screamed.

_**don't turn away   
don't give in to the pain  
**_

Pain more intense than anything he had ever experienced before flowed over him in waves, as if he was being skinned alive, or burned from the inside out. He was aware he had fallen to his knees, digging his claws into the dirt, that Kagome was kneeling beside him, calling out to him. He couldn't focus, couldn't breathe. He had to get control of himself, he knew it was only a spell, but the pain wouldn't let him think!

_**don't try to hide   
though they're screaming your name **_

Kagome grabbed his shoulders, trying to break the spell on him. She didn't dare use her purifying powers; she wouldn't risk hurting Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru!" she called out desperately. "Sesshoumaru, answer me!" His screams had stopped, but his entire body trembled in remembered pain. He was tense, too tense. "Onisan, please!"

_**  
don't close your eyes  
God knows what lies behind them  
**_

Her words finally drew his attention to her. Her face was streaked with tears, her eyes wide with worry and sympathetic pain. Above them, the storm broke, sending torrents of rain down on them. A faint smile touched his lips and he reached out to brush her hair from her face. "Are you crying, imoto?" he whispered.

"No." she said with a smile. "It's just the rain."

_**don't turn out the light  
never sleep never die **_

She helped him stand back up, supporting him until he found his balance through the residual pain. His smile became more pronounced as he looked at her in surprise. "You called me brother." he commented softly.

Kagome laughed at that. "Hai, but you called me sister." she pointed out. "It's only fair." Sesshoumaru chuckled dryly at that. True, he had called her sister, but only after she had called him brother. He found he rather liked the sound of it.

"Come on, onisan." she prodded. "Let's get going. The faster we get this done, the less likely we are to get caught by his spells again." The taiyoukai nodded calmly and once again took the lead. Now that he knew the nature of the mist, he would not risk Kagome being the one to get caught by its spell. She would have enough to deal with when they got to Edo. Inuyasha would take all her time.

And he would be there to make sure the hanyou didn't kill her.

/----/

AN: Well, whaddya think? I didn't use the whole song, cuz I couldn't think of a way to put it all in. One day I'll do a real songfic to this song, but eh, that's for another day. Review, please!

_**  
**_


	14. Everybody's Fool

AN: Wow. Only three more chapters left on this thing. Pity, too.Ah, well, here's new chappie for ya!

**Everybody's Fool**

She was such a fool.

All this time in the presence of the enemy, and still Kikyou could not see the truth standing in front of her. All this time, she might have been able to help him.

Now he was far beyond her reach. His eyes were blood red now, the hanyou gone from his mind. Only _he_ remained, staring at her with such hatred and distain that she could not help but shrink back from him.

Once she would have been able to fend him off, to purify him to nothing but ashes, but not anymore. Those days were gone, thanks to the wish made on the jewel. Kagome had sacrificed what happiness she might have been able to have for her, and now the young miko would have to sacrifice again to save her friends.

She only hoped Sesshoumaru did not let her come alone. _He_ would kill her if she did.

"Come on, Kikyou." His voice was rough, harsh, and sounding less and less like Inuyasha's with every word his spoke. A shiver ran down her spine. "You shouldn't be afraid of me. You're the one I actually like, not Kagome. I chose you after all, remember?"

"You are not Inuyasha." Kikyou spat, backing away from the advancing youkai. "Inuyasha would never have harmed Kagome. He may not have loved her the way he loved me, but he did care for her. He wouldn't have harmed her." She quckly grabbed her bow and leveled an arrow at his chest. Inuyasha froze. His eyes began flickering back and forth between red and gold.

"Kikyou," he whispered, and now his voice was beginning to sound normal. "You wouldn't – you already – please, don't!"

His voice broke, and her resolve weakened. She lowered the arrow. "I don't want to hurt you, Inuyasha." she said softly, trying to reach him. "But you have to fight him. He's the one who made you hurt Kagome. Fight him!"

"Too late." That voice was back, the one that wasn't Inuyasha. The hanyou's eyes were completely red now, and Kikyou knew she lost her chance. "If you insist on causing a struggle, I won't hesitate in killing you."

/----/

Kagome froze a moment. "Kikyou." she whispered.

Sesshoumaru turned to face her, his brows furrowed slightly in confusion. "What?"

"Kikyou's in danger." Kagome said. She sounded confident, her fear still bleeding into her voice. "We need to hurry. We're almost there." She increased her pace, almost running through the woods now. Sesshoumaru easily caught up with her and grabbed her arm, pulling her on his back. "What the devil are you doing?"

"Hold on." he warned. "We'll make better time this way." Kagome nodded and tightened her grip on his shoulders. He could sense her worry as easily as he could smell her fear. "Don't worry, imoto." he said soothingly. "We'll make it there in time."

Soon enough, the village came into sight. Kagome's eyes narrowed as she caught sight of Inuyasha standing over Kikyou's prone form, a broken bow by her side. She leapt off of Sesshoumaru's back and let her miko powers flare around her, drawing the hanyou's attention even before her unexpected shout left her mouth.

"NARAKU!"

/---/

AN: Ha ha! How's that for a cliffy! Review, please!


	15. Taking Over Me

AN: Woo! Another chappie! Next update will be Thursday, so look for it then!

**Taking Over Me**

"NARAKU!"

The hanyou spun around, fury and delight shining plain in his crimson eyes. "So the wench has figured it out." he sneered. "I was wondering how long it would take you. How does it feel, Kagome, knowing tht in order to kill me, you must kill Inuyasha as well?"

"Dragon Strike!"

Naraku bounded out of the way, but only barely. "Come now, Sesshoumaru." he chided. "Surely this miko doesn't mean so much to you. Be a good boy now, and watch her die. Maybe then I will deal with you."

Sesshoumaru snarled and almost retailiated, but Kagome stopped him. "I can handle this one, onisan." she whispered. Without waiting for his response, she calmly dropped her bow and quiver to the ground. "Coem on then. Let's see just how strong you really are." she challenged.

Naraku smirked. "With pleasure!" He lunged forward and grabbed Kagome's wrists before Sesshoumaru could pull her out of the way. His claws dug into her skin, but she didn't wince, not even when the skin split and blood dribbled down her arms. "What now, littlel miko?" he taunted.

Kagome's eyes closed in concentration, and then Naraku screamed. He tried to pull back, but it was too late. Kagome's powers flared, and Inuyasha fell to the ground, his eyes their normal golden hue. He blinked up at Sesshoumaru, worry and fear plain in his face. "Sesshoumaru?" he muttered. "What's going on?"

"Inuyasha!" In a flash Kikyou was by his side, holding him tightly as the hanyou faught to understand. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, I think." He looked up once again at his older brother, but Sesshoumaru was no longer paying attention to the couple on the ground. He was looking at something a little to their left, uncertainty written in his face. Before Inuyasha could reconcile that his stoic half-brother was showing emotion for a change, Sesshoumaru spoke.

"Kagome?"

_/----/_

_Kagome couldn't hear, couldn't feel anything past her soul. Naraku was in there somewhere, she just had to find him and purify his ass to dust before he could take root. She knew he was sifting through her memories, trying to find something he could use against her. Suddenly, he was behind her._

"_How did it feel, Kagome?" he whispered. "He abandoned you when you needed him most. He went to Kikyou instead. It hurt, didn't it? It hurt worse than losing your friends, because you thought he would always be there for you. Instead he used the Shikon to revive Kikyou."_

"_You need to catch up on the times, Naraku." Kagome said blandly. "That was the plan all along. We weren't going to use the jewel to turn Inuyasha full demon, as you were obviously hoping. Kikyou would get our wish."_

_He snarled at that, and suddenly images began to run through her mind, making her eyes widen in shock._

_Their bodies, torn and mutilated by Naraku's last attack – _

_Inuyasha turning his back on her, taking comfort in Kikyou instead and leaving her to recover alone – _

_she was weak, sitting under the tree in pain after Inuyasha had attacked her – _

_She cried out in anger and frustration as they flitted past her mind's eye, tears pouring down her face as she sank to her knees under the assault._

_/-----/_

Sesshoumaru reached forward and caught her before she could completely hit the ground. Now he was really worried, and no amount of discipline could keep the fear from his voice. "Kagome? Kagome, answer me!"

"What did Naraku do to her?" Inuyasha snapped, struggling to stand but still unable to do so.

It was Kikyou who answered. "She knew she couldn't kill Naraku without killing Inuyasha." she explained. "So she allowed him to invade her body so she could attack him there. They are in a war for her soul."

The taiyoukai didn't say a word, unable to come to terms with this. He wanted to help, but it looked as if she was on her own this time. Gently, he placed his hand on her cheek, trying to assure her that he was there, even if he couldn't help just yet.

/-----/

"_Imoto."_

_Kagome's head jerked up in shock. "Sesshoumaru?" With that one word more images began to flood her mind. Images of the taiyoukai, snippets of their conversations together, things Naraku hadn't planned on surfacing._

"_Iie, I am not angry with you."_

"_We have a knack for meeting in the rain."_

"_I would miss you."_

_Slowly she stood back up, her tears beginning to dry. "I know where you are, Naraku." she snapped coldly, feeling her power gather in her hands. "Prepare to die!" A bolt of purifying energy shot from her fingertips into the shadows of her soul, eliciting a dying scream from the hanyou who had already caused so much pain._

_/----/_

"Sesshoumaru, put her down!" Kikyou snapped. "She'll purify you if you don't!"

"No, she won't." Kagome's aura flared suddenly, and yet it did not burn him. It was focused on something inside of her, not on the youkai lord holding her in his arm. Kagome's entire body tensed, and then went slack. Her eyes flickered open, and she smiled as she focused on his face.

"Onisan." she whispered. "We did it. He's gone now." She passed out, and Sesshoumaru merely shook her head. She would be fine, she just needed rest.

Inuyasha was giving him a rather suspicious look. "Onisan?" he demanded. "I don't even call you that."

The taiyoukai sighed. This was going to take some explaining.

/----/

AN: Hey y'all. Hope you enjoyed this. Only two more left. (cries) ah well, I got others. Review please!


	16. GoodNight

AN: Remember how I said I would only be updating on Thursdays? I lied. Here is the next chappie!

**Good-Night**

Inuyasha rubbed his forehead, fighting off the beginnings of a headache. "Why didn't she come to me?" he muttered. "If it was getting too much, she could have come to me." Sesshoumaru shot him a filthy look, holding Kagome in the crook of his single arm. They had taken up space in Kikyou's hut, sitting around the small fire in the center. Sesshoumaru had already explained the recent events, or at least as much as he intended to. No need to let the half-breed know everything just yet. Kagome would tell him everything else when she woke up.

"Have you not been listening, hanyou?" he snapped. "I told you why. You had abandoned her. She felt she had to be strong for you."

"That still doesn't explain anything." Inuyasha muttered. He shot the taiyoukai an equally filthy look. "It doesn't explain why she called you onisan. Not even I do that."

Before Sesshoumaru could think of a suitably scathing remark, Kagome shifted in his arms. Automatically, he looked down at her, feeling her tense when she realized she was being held. "Calm, imoto." he said softly. "You're safe."

Slowly, her eyes fluttered open. "Onisan?" Her voice was thick with exhaustion, but she quickly blinked it away and attempted to sit up. Sessshoumaru adjusted his grip on her so she could move, and gently propped her up when she swayed. "Arigato. Inuyasha, Kikyou, are you two all right?"

Kikyou nodded, but Inuyasha started to growl at the younger miko. "Care to explain something to me, Kagome?" he hissed.

She was confused. "Explain what?"

"Why are you calling him onisan?!"

She hesitated then. "Because he is. Or he might as well be, considering everything he's done for me. He helped me heal, Inuyasha. Naraku was preventing you from helping me, but he kinda stepped up to the plate, whether he knew it or not." She flashed the taiyoukai a smile, and he smiled softly in return. Only Kagome would have seen it. "It's all right now, Inuyasha. You can heal now, too."

The hanyou looked her over, his ears flattening against his head. "You're gonna leave with him, aren't you?" he whispered.

"If he lets me." she admitted.

"Kagome is more than welcome to travel with this Sesshoumaru." Sesshoumaru put in, regaining a bit of his arrogance. Now that his imoto was safe, he could control himself once again. "I believe my pack would be disappointed to see her go."

Only Kagome knew what he meant by that last bit. _I would miss you._

She nodded. "Arigato, onisan."

If anything, Inuyasha looked even more dejected. "Ah, well. If that's what you want to do." He shook his head and looked back up at the two, his face once again full of its usual arrogance. "You'd better keep her here for the night, Sesshoumaru." he warned. "She's in no condition to go traipsing off after your group."

"This Sesshoumaru is not unaware of that fact." came the dry response. "We shall inform you when we are ready to leave."

/---/

It was late, but Kagome easily found Inuyasha sitting outside Kikyou's hut, staring up at the stars. Quietly, she came and sat down next to him, turning her face skywards. "What's so interesting up there?" she murmured.

Inuyasha hid a chuckle. "No problems up there." he muttered back. She heard him sigh and shuffle around a bit before continuing. "It doesn't seem right, you leaving. I know you've got every right to, but still. Nothing's really the same anymore."

Kagome shook her head. "Things haven't been the same for a long time now, Inuyasha." she said calmly. "At least you have a chance now."

"You didn't have to come back."

"I did. You are my friend, after all. My first friend here. I can't just abandon you." Kagome pointed out.

"What do you think you're doing now?" Inuyasha's voice was bitter, his ears flat against his head, and Kagome sighed in defeat. Slowly, she put her arms around him, cradling him against her chest as one might hold a child. Soflty, she began to sing. It was for his ears alone, but another heard it as well.

"_Good-night, sleep tight,_

_no more tears._

_In the morning,_

_I'll be here._

_And when we say good-night_

_dry your eyes._

_Because we said good-night_

_and not good-bye."_

She repeated the song over and over again, soothing the troubled hanyou into a peaceful slumber. She sighed, letting the peaceful night wash over her for a moment, before turning her attention to her watcher.

"Do you think we could come back again, onisan?" she whispered.

There was a pause. "Hai, imoto." he whispered back. "If that is what you wish."

/---/

AN: Oh, and I don't own the song there. It is (ironically enough) Good-Night by Evanescence.


	17. Good Enough

AN: Sad to say, this is the last chapter of this story. (cries) Alas, but there are more stories in my mind to be told, never fear! Now, on with the chapter!

**Good Enough**

The next morning was torture for Inuyasha.

Despite Kagome's promises to come and visit, despite the knowledge that she _had_ to go, that she had made a life for herself with Sesshoumaru as she couldn't have one with him, it hurt to watch her leave. It hurt to watch her follow the taiyoukai as his steady steps took her farther and farther away from the hanyou.

He could smell her tears, and he knew it hurt her as well. But she did not let them fall, and she did not stop.

Later, when they stopped for the night, Kagome would cry. She would cry, and Sesshoumaru would hold her, not quite understanding the tears she shed, but willing to let them fall. She would cry for the home she had lost, for even if she had stayed, it would never have been her home. That was with Sesshoumaru now.

Inuyasha did not know this, however. He couldn't have known. But the knowledge that she would miss him, and she had promised to come back after all, kept him strong until they were out of sight.

He turned to Kikyou then, shaking his head in sorrow. "How could things have gotten this bad?" he murmured. "I never thought she'd leave."

Kikyou merely shrugged. "Naraku had a way of screwing up even the best-laid plans." she explained simply. "As for Kagome – I think she finally found the family she's been looking for. At least now she has a reason to stay in this world. We will see her again. I know it."

Inuyasha offered a wry smile. "Whoever would have thought you two would have become friends?" he joked. "I seem to recall a lot of death threats on both y'all's parts."

Kikyou laughed at that. "I also seem to recall that you tried to kill both of us as a first meeting." she pointed out. "Stranger things have happened."

Inuyasha chuckled. "Indeed. Come on, let's get to work. I can already smell the cold starting to go through the village." He laughed outright as Kikyou groaned. "Oh, come on. You know I'll help you get the herbs."

"It's not the herbs I mind, Inuyasha." she muttered under her breath. "It's the complaining."

/---/

They arrived at Jaken's small camp the next day. Rin, of course, was happy to see her lord and sister safely back home. Jaken had his usual list of complaints and glorifications, but the taiyoukai didn't even bother with him. He listened with half his attention as Rin chatted on about the flowers she had collected and the fact that Jaken had pushed her into the river while she was trying to catch fish. Kagome was the one to chastise the imp for his behavior.

Sesshoumaru's attention was on Kagome. She had hardly spoken the entire time they had left the village, except to apologize for her tears that night. He knew she was hurting, from leaving the hanyou, and he suspected that Naraku had a few unpleasant surprises for her when she battled him, but apparently neither was so much that she wanted to leave.

Still, it worried him.

Kagome got Rin ready for bed while Jaken quickly built a fire. Soon the imp and the child were asleep against Ah-Un. Sesshoumaru and Kagome were resting on the other side of the fire, the young miko leaning against the taiyoukai's shoulder.

They must have made for an interesting sight; Kagome could sense the curious eyes of the lesser youkai as they skirted the camp, lingering only a few moments longer than necessary before darting off into the woods. She smiled to herself.

_This_ felt right. The traveling, even if it wasn't with the tachi like she had always expected, brought back a feeling of peace she had been missing for far too long. Not even the pain of leaving Inuyasha could dampen the growing contentment.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Hn?"

She smiled again, glancing up at him. "You know, I think I finally feel good enough now." she murmured.

He looked down at her. "What do you mean?"

Her smile only grew with her words. "I think I've finally healed, onisan."

He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer. Had the others been awake he never would have done it, but for this miko, he would allow some display of his affection. "I am glad, imoto."

**THE END**

Woo! I finished another story! Now on to finish my others before new ideas start to crowd my mind. Review please, and until next time,

Shadowblade-tara


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